title: The Prognostic Role of Ezrin Immunoexpression in Osteosarcoma: A Meta-Analysis of Published Data.
abstract: The significance of ezrin immunoexpression and prognosis for osteosarcoma is still controversial. The aim was to provide a meta-analysis for ezrin immunoexpression and prognostic features of osteosarcoma patients.
  
  
  
  A detailed search was made in MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Web of Knowledge for relevant original articles published in English; methodological quality of the included studies was also assessed. Two reviewers extracted data independently. Studies were pooled and summary hazard ratios (HRs) and odds ratio (ORs) with corresponding confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated.
  
  
  
  Final analysis of 318 patients from 5 eligible studies was performed. Combined HR of ezrin immunohistochemical staining suggested that positive immunoexpression had an unfavorable impact on osteosarcoma patients' overall survival (n = 223 in 4 studies; HR = 4.79; 95% CI: 1.50-15.30; P = 0.008) but not on event-free survival (n = 202 in 3 studies; HR = 1.59; 95% CI: 0.61-4.15; P = 0. 0.342). Combined OR of ezrin immunohistochemical staining indicated that positive immunoexpression was associated with recurrence (n = 134 in 2 studies; OR = 3.79; 95% CI: 1.49-9.64; P = 0.005) but not with serum ALP level (n = 160 in 2 studies; OR = 2.16; 95% CI: 0.09-52.50; P = 0.637) and histological response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy(n = 260 in 4 studies; OR = 0.87; 95% CI: 0.37-2.03; P = 0.740).
  
  
  
  The results of this meta-analysis suggest that ezrin positive immunoexpression confers a higher risk of recurrence and a worse survival in osteosarcoma patients. Large prospective studies are needed to provide solid data to investigate the precise prognostic significance of ezrin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hongtao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Daliu
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Min
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Zhiyu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Weixiang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.forename: Shuier
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Lina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Aina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Yuanjue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Zan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shen
mesh_terms: D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016239:MEDLINE; D008297:Male; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D012516:Osteosarcoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality; D015996:Survival Rate; D000099149:Ezrin
chemical_list: D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D000099149:Ezrin